Revefenacin

Revefenacin is an inhaled bronchodilator muscarinic antagonist with a long-acting bronchodilation activity. It has been shown to present a high affinity and behaved as a competitive antagonist of the five muscarinic cholinergic receptors. Studies have indicated that revefenacin dissociates significantly slower from the muscarinic receptor M3 (hM3) when compared to the receptor M2 (hM2) which indicates a kinetic selectivity for this subtype. This competitive antagonism produces a suppressive action of the acetylcholine-evoked calcium mobilization and contractile responses in the airway tissue. Lastly, due to the duration of the bronchodilation, revefenacin is considered a long-acting muscarinic antagonist which allows it to be dosed once daily.

This response is very important for the therapy of COPD as the main goal is the reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations which are normally driven by the presence of elevated cholinergic bronchoconstrictor tone mediated by muscarinic receptors on parasympathetic ganglia and airway smooth muscle. Hence, the activity of revefenacin produces a potent and long-lasting protection against the bronchoconstrictor response to acetylcholine or methacholine.